Marriages Now and Then Essay - 1041 Words

The evolution of men and women, how the roles in society have changed. Over the last five hundred or so years women have come a long way. We have seen in the Sixteen hundreds arranged marriages where the woman had no say in the union, and the relationships were is based on money or prestige (Shakespeare 1668). Presently we see love is the driving factor. In 1997 a study was done to say forty-six percent of marriages end in divorce (Harvey1996). In the Sixteen hundreds there were no studies done, but far fewer marriages ended in divorce. That word was not even in the vocabulary. What is the reason for this? We have more choices, more money, and more technology. Communication between men and women is the heart of the issue. We do have more†¦show more content†¦She has many thought provoking verses in her text to show how times were changing and so were women (p. 63). Not to mention, men were trying to figure out women (p. 86). Time moves forward a hundred years or so. What changes do we see? Is there a more independent relationship between men and women? The development of the roles just adds to the misunderstandings and the torment of the opposite sexes. We see how a more independent outspoken woman gets into a more complicated circle of mis-communications and relationship problems. We once again see the inability of man and women to make themselves understood. The female character that is the lover to the English patient has picked a complex life and role, but with all of her independence she still manages to torture herself, her husband, and her lover (Ondaatje’s 1992). Does this show a better understanding of the opposite sex or just how much more complicated life becomes with the changing of the times? Looking at the last 100 years everything has become more complex. We have gone from horse and buggy to automobiles and space shuttles. We have seen women go from homemakers to rocket scientist. We have seen technology change how we treat diseases and how we eliminate our enemies. We have more knowledge in an instant than we could have read in a decade. With all of this fascinating and unbelievable information there are still thousands and thousands of books being published andShow MoreRelatedMarriage : Then And Now1583 Words   |  7 PagesKelsey Palmisano Hoffman INQ 110 – Marriage Family 9/11/14 Marriage: Then and Now The evolution of marriage has transformed a great deal overtime, and today, is in a unique stage. It is often that couples choose to live together before tying the not. This is called cohabitation. During this time period, couples are able to experience one another at the next level. They learn more about their significant other than ever before, and it is a great assessor as to what the future holds for the twoRead MoreMarriage For All From The 1990 s Until Now1324 Words   |  6 PagesYolanda Munoz American Political System Mr. Washington December 8, 2014 Marriage for All From the 1990’s until now, gay marriage has gained an extensive amount of popularity. Gay marriage is marriage between two men or two women. However there is controversy between two parties, the gay activist groups who are fighting for their constitutional rights and religious people who are fighting for proposition 8 to pass. The question to ask is denying the right of a homosexual man or woman to marryRead MoreEssay on We Need Same-sex Marriage Now1352 Words   |  6 PagesWe Need Same-sex Marriage Now Known to some people as a lifetime commitment of devotion, to others a promise to reside with a stranger, and even to some people as a union arranged by their parents, marriage is a widely varying ritual practiced all over the world. In the United States, marriage is a freedom of choice and an act of love, supported with benefits and privileges from the government. It has traditionally been the union of a woman and a man, made with the expectation of permanenceRead MoreUkip says ‘no’ to single-sex marriages - At least for now Nigel Farage, leader of Ukip, refuses to1200 Words   |  5 PagesUkip says ‘no’ to single-sex marriages - At least for now Nigel Farage, leader of Ukip, refuses to support single-sex marriage as long as the United Kingdom is part of the European Union. Ukip is short for the UK Independence Party. This political party is a right wing party with a libertarian angle and a little social conservatism. They are a member of the ‘Europe of Freedom and Democracy’ group. This group wants to get out of the European Union. They believe that democracy, freedom and co-operationRead MoreNegative Effects Of Same Sex Marriage875 Words   |  4 PagesNegative Effects of Same-Sex Marriage Introduction In the past 50 years, the American family has undergone immense changes. In the past, families remained extremely conservative and traditional families, upholding the ideal of marriage, which remained between a man and a woman. Recently, with the passing of Obergefell v. Hodges, same-sex marriage is now legal in the United States. Consequently, the idea of marriage has been redefined, and, as a result, the new legislature will now have significant effectsRead MoreGay Marriage : Same Sex Marriage1611 Words   |  7 PagesRunning Head: SAME-SEX MARRIAGE NATIONALLY Same-Sex Marriage Nationally Makenzie L. Griffin Albia Community School District Authors Note This paper was prepared for government, period 2, taught by Mrs. Peterson. Abstract Same-sex marriage nationally has become more and more common now than it used to be in the nineteen-eighty’s. There are many organization groups that help spread the word about lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender issues and why it is wrong to discriminate againstRead MoreThe Marriage Of Arranged Marriage1666 Words   |  7 Pageswife? That is how arranged marriages work, someone else choses your spouse for you. We are now living in a generation where we are highly influenced by what we see in the media. Cultures that practice arranged marriage are now shifting toward the Western norms of marriage. Many people are not familiar with arranged marriages and come to judge to quickly without having any knowledge on the topic. Arranged marriage is a marriage that is organized by two families for the marriage of their son or daughterRead MoreGay Marriage Should Be Legal1434 Words   |  6 PagesGay marriage has slowly become a significant factor amongst individuals of t oday’s society. On June 26, 2015, it was ruled out by the U.S. Supreme Court that gay marriage was now legal. The first thing that I thought was that â€Å"Wasn’t it already legal in the United States?† Well, apparently no it has not been legalized in the United States! (Dumb me.) The U.S. is known to be a nation of equality and gives everyone the freedom of the speech, but it is actually a nation full of racism, sexism, and homophobiasRead MoreSame Sex Marriage846 Words   |  3 Pageslegally married. They are now married happily in Hawaii. Same-sex marriage is starting to be legalized in states and accepted by many along with that many people are against the idea, same-sex marriage also promotes change and growth. November 21st, 2013 Illinois legalizes same-sex marriage (McDermott). This is an effect that will change the future because there is now a new light it peoples eyes. They now can get married. This may seem like an insignificant feat but it is not. Now when someone in a same-sexRead MoreWhy Same Sex Marriage Should Be Legal1478 Words   |  6 PagesWhy Same Sex Marriage Shouldn’t be Allowed Why shouldn’t Same Sex Marriage legalized? Number one why would you want more gay couples walking around and getting married? It flat out is just not right at all. No matter if same sex marriage is legal or illegal it will never be okay on any circumstance. Marriage has always been between A Man and Woman not two guys and two girls. Marriage should stay the same, it should not be legalized, they’re just too many wrongs to it and it is not acceptable. The

If You Can Have Dinner with Any People Free Essays

There has been a time when I have always wondered what it would be like to have dinner with people who inspire me. I have thought long and hard about 3 people who give me motivation to be all I can be. Growing up as a Latin woman in NYC has made me want to be a successful woman. We will write a custom essay sample on If You Can Have Dinner with Any People or any similar topic only for you Order Now I want to see the world and help others in need. I have chosen to have dinner with Rata Moreno a Latin woman from Human, Puerco Rice. My Grandparent’s are from Human, a small town about 45 miss from the capital. Human is full of land , nature, tall mountains and amazing culture. I also would love for Audrey Hepburn to Join us followed by Anita Rowdier. These three women are very influential in many ways and I can relate to them. The dinner I have chosen for us will be full of colorful foods. Salads, pastas, cheese, seafood and wine. Rata Moreno loves to dance and I am sure she will be the life of the party. I come from a big Puerco Rican family like Rata also from Human and we love to dance, cook and enjoy quality time. img class="aligncenter wp-image-34559 " src="https://donemyessay.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/dinner-party-1024x732.jpg" alt="If You Can Have Dinner with Any People" width="731" height="522" / We can turn anything small into a festivity. Moreno has a similar background; she grew up very poor and was forced to move to the slums of NYC only to find herself a bit lost. Rite’s mom made a living so that Rata can focus on school and her career. Like most Puerco Rican families from the ass’s and ass’s they work extremely hard to have a better life. Rata went on got an education and pursue her career. She found herself in Show business acting and playing roles as a minority. She landed her famous role as Anita from West side story. The first and only Latin woman in History and one of the few performers to have won an Emmy, a Grammar, an Oscar, and a Tony, and was the second Puerco Rican to win an Academy Award. Rata is also involved in the Jack Robinson Foundation to give children a better schooling system. Audrey Hepburn is a classic woman of Hollywood who is also an immigrant from Belgium growing up it was not always easy but she came from a middle class family. Audrey grew up most of her life in boarding schools and nannies this was during the world war 2. How to cite If You Can Have Dinner with Any People, Papers

Theoretical Orientation free essay sample

In order to write this paper, the author had to consider two important questions in order to determine the most appropriate theoretical orientation for her. First, under what contexts and specific settings would the therapeutic process take place? Second, what does this particular client need most in order to heal, to grow, to be safe with him/herself and with others, to suffer less, to cope more effectively, and to behave in a way that will keep him or her from getting into trouble? It is very important to note that there is a significant amount of research that shows that different therapies work best with different clients regarding their level of functioning, existing pathologies and their severity, the clients’ socioeconomic statuses (SES), and their cultural background. For the purpose of this paper and based on the answers to the questions previously stated, the author will write from the perspective of a therapist who works in a clinical setting with clients that are largely low to average functioning, are culturally diverse, and generally have a low SES, which means that they have limited time and resources to spend on their treatment. In response to the second question, the theory that comes closest to my worldview and serves as a foundation for constructing my theoretical orientation is the Cognitive Behavioral theory. The author will discuss CBT as her â€Å"go to† primary approach in terms of techniques, goals, the therapist/client relationship, and the merits of the approach. The main concepts of Rogers’ person-centered approach will be infused into the author’s practice as a given, since clients are more likely to cooperate with the therapist’s cognitive and behavioral interventions, and most other interventions for that matter, if they feel the therapist is genuinely interested in their well-being. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Human nature Human beings are capable of change and are subject to determinants in their environments. Negative and incorrect thinking patterns lead to maladaptive behaviors that somehow have been reinforced through emotions. We all have core belief systems of schemas that are formed early on through since our earliest experiences. Modern practitioners of CBT have opened up new ways of helping people by understanding that they are more than conditioned machines, but still victims or benefactors of the environment. Perception and experiencing in general are active processes which involve both inspected and introspective data. The client’s thoughts represent these experiences and his or her appraisal of the situation is generally evident in his or her cognitions. These, in turn make up the persons stream of consciousness, which reflects the persons configuration of himself, his world, his past and future (Back, 1979). The Cognitive Behavioral perspective is somewhat pessimistic of human nature since it does not afford people the ability to get well on their own, and in some cases such as mental health institutions, the CB therapist exercises quite a bit of control over the patient and their environment. View of health and pathology When people have negative experiences in their lives, certain core beliefs may result from that and these can lead to psychological dysfunction. Cognitive vulnerabilities develop early in a persons life and when these beliefs are rigid, negative, and ingrained we are predisposed to pathology (Beck, 1979). Because of the high success rates that CBT has had in treating people with various pathologies as well as more common issues that are less complex but nevertheless need attention, CBT proves its point: if we can deal with and understand our thoughts, our behaviors will follow and our emotions will fall into place. With the right tools and proper conditioning, there are few issues that CBT cannot correct. There seems to be a CBT technique for almost every occasion. According to CBT, pathology can present itself as a problematic or distorted thinking process if it is very catastrophic, idealistic, extreme, or confusing. Distorted information processing can be, for example, having obsessive thoughts. Other manifestations are skill deficits. Anxiety is the major cause of most behavioral disorders, but anxiety can be conditioned to any stimuli, so it’s not necessarily a bad thing. When treating clients, CBT is symptom focused and acknowledges their underlying precursors while remaining in the present. In psychopathology from a CBS point of view, there are systematic biases toward selectively interpreting information in a certain manner which are disorder specific. This can be a potential pitfall of CBT since it appears to treat the disorder and not so much the whole person. That said, biology, emotions, behavior (and motivation) influence our thoughts in a very real and systematic way that can often be predicted. For example, biological treatments (such as biofeedback) can change thoughts and CBT can change biological processes as well. This is especially helpful in stress management. CBT has been empirically proven as an effective therapy for treating other disorders besides those that are anxiety-based, such as depression and other mood disorders, borderline personality disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD, substance abuse, eating disorders, marital problems, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. It is important to note that a cognitive behavioral therapist is not interested in etiology, but rather focuses on the reasons that the problem continues to persist. CBT techniques have been extended to more areas of human functioning than any other therapeutic approach, making it useful in a variety of situations and clients, which is important to her given her work setting. Role assessment CBT somewhat relies on assessments. The therapist â€Å"takes the client’s temperature† and records the client’s mood. Then client and the therapist go over the homework and assess where to go from there after noting the client’s feedback. Other assessments that measure emotion or personality traits are not widely used in CBT. Certain evaluations that measure cognitive reasoning are of value as well as empirical and valid ones that can observably measure progress or regression. As far as the information gathered, CB therapists want to know some history to establish a baseline of cognitive and behavioral functioning, but don’t expect them to go very deep. Counseling goals The therapeutic goal in a nutshell is to use patterns to alter moods and behavior of identifying the maladaptive or distorted perceptions that the client has with as much brevity as possible. Once the negative ways of thinking have been identified, the therapist and her client can work collaboratively towards replacing them with new, more effective ones that will include the client’s quality of life. CBT aims to arm clients with and arsenal of tools like coping skills, cognitive awareness, and practical â€Å"tips† to help the person literally change his or her mind. The counseling goals depend from client to client and issue to issue, but in the author’s opinion, addressing immediate thoughts that can cause the client of those around him or her to behave in maladaptive, dangerous, and even deadly behavior is of paramount importance. Therapist/client roles/functions The behavioral perspective is more properly an educational experience in which individuals are involved in a collaborative teaching/learning process between the therapist and the client, respectively. The therapist is a psycho-educator who is an active enforcer and a guide for the client and his treatment plan. The client must be a willing and active participant who monitors his or her behavior, does the homework according to the treatment plan, and provides the therapist with valuable feedback. In this collaborative relationship, the goals of therapy are very transparent. A valuable feature of CBT is the demystification of the therapy process. Both the client and the therapist take an active role in monitoring the results and efficacy of the treatment. In The CBT approach, clients are active, informed, and responsible for the direction of therapy because they are partners in the process of getting well. Although having a warm and fuzzy relationship with the client is inconsequential in most cases, giving the client a sense of trust and credibility is. Again, the author works with the assumption that every client needs to be treated with positive and unconditional regard. Counseling skills/techniques Out of a number of therapies that the author has read, it seems that the behavioral therapies have the most to offer in terms of counseling skills and techniques. Some of these techniques might include biofeedback, self-instructional training, and stress management skills, mindfulness approaches, internal dialogues, as well as closed and open-ended questions, to name a few. Unlearning responses happens in and throughout the therapeutic process and is often achieved through desensitization, assertiveness training, role-playing, and stimulus control. Socratic questioning or Socratic dialogue is a concept in which questioning is used to help clients come to their own conclusions about their thoughts and behaviors. The author believes that this is technique is the most useful in terms of getting insight from the client by allowing him or her to observe where their faulty thoughts, assumptions, behaviors, and emotions are taking place. It is very important that CB therapists continue their training and stay abreast of what new developments and treatments are constantly being practiced. In this way, CBT is extremely demanding on the therapist. Homework assignments are an important part of CBT, allowing the client to do a substantial amount of therapeutic work in practice outside of the session. The homework exercises are cognitive in nature and help the client self-monitor, collect data, and test cognitive changes, this often brings more than just a change in behavior it also brings insight. Through the process of guided discovery, clients develop behavioral experiments to test hypotheses with the help of their therapist and they make adjustments to the treatment plan as needed. Role playing is an important technique because it helps the client become aware of their automatic thoughts and resulting emotions. The intricacies and the extensive repertoire of CBT techniques will not be discussed in depth in the present paper. Mechanism of healing the process of change These action-based approaches encourage self-help, and provide for continuous feedback from the client on how well treatment strategies are working, as stated before. In this kind of therapy, the client is able to set the pace, in a way, by allowing the evaluation of outcomes and then collaboratively make the appropriate adjustments to the treatment plan to maximize the tempo and efficacy of the therapy. Change comes about by shifting cognitive schemas and distortions in a measurable way. Then the environment and its contingencies shape, maintain, and/or extinguish behavior. So if we change the contingencies, the behavior will change also. A good motto for behavioral therapies in general would be â€Å"fake it ‘till you make it†, since the assumption is that behavior and cognition precede emotion and that once aligned and cognitively aware, the person’s new behavior and perspective will change for the better. Sensitivity to human differences Currently, there are many cognitive behavioral therapists that dont feel comfortable working with clients who have lower levels of cognitive functioning, for example those with certain types of learning disabilities or mental retardation. The author notes that people with those disabilities certainly do think, although they may have trouble articulating their thoughts. For this reason, CBT is not currently a standard treatment for this population. There are some adaptations that therapists can make to help these clients. For example, they can use simpler vocabulary to ensure the client is accurately receiving the information that is given to him or her. There are many disabled people (and many able people too) that struggle differentiating between a thought in the feeling. This presents a problem since CBT depends on a very discrete distinction between affect, behavior, and cognition. From a multicultural perspective, the author finds that one of the strengths of CBT is that it works extremely well with diverse ethnic populations. Possibly because some cultures are not interested in delving into the past, but rather want to go straight to the point and fix whatever is wrong. JC Norcross said it well when he stated that a major challenge for the field of psychotherapy will be to discover creative ways to integrate the values and worldviews of multiple cultures within the discourse of efficacy and evidence that currently dominate health care. (Norcross, Hedges, amp; Castle, 2002). Comparison and contrast of CBT approach with other existing theories CBT label stocks as dysfunctional while REBT label stocks as irrational. Also, CBTs view of the problem is functional; pathology arises from multiple cognitive distortions while REBT’s view of the problem is philosophical; pathology arises from shoulds, musts, and oughts. CBT is more collaborative while are REBT is more confrontative but both of these therapies place equal stock on the power of thought. Psychodynamic therapies differ from CBT approaches in that psychoanalytic theories focus on deterministic and irrational forces, biological and instinctual drives, and unconscious motivation. A CBT therapist would disagree in almost every one of those points. The post-modern characteristic of an emphasis on playing on the clients’ strengths and resources, as well as the thought of a subjective reality are not consistent with the basic assumptions of CBT but they are both generally brief. Existential approaches are much too vague for CBT and take much more time to process. These approaches are based on a similar concept of the person as purposive and self-determining and a striving for growth and meaning in life. Analysis: rationale for the author’s choice The theory of CBT was chosen based on the author’s worldview, personal life experiences, observations, and congruence with her basic beliefs and personality. The author is a â€Å"fixer,† someone who gets right to the point and tries to reason things out as to figure out the quickest and safest way to deal with an issue and hopes for a lasting effect, although she is ware that CBT tends to be a â€Å"Band-Aid† approach. The practical and immediate implications of undesirable or even destructive behaviors are meaningful and significant to the author. In many occasions, CBT interventions have prevented her from getting caught in downward spirals of erratic and dangerous behaviors. The author’s therapists took control of her environment and once she was stable, she and the therapists began working on the significance of automatic and intermediate thoughts and how they affected her feelings and behaviors. This process was long and tedious (because much of it was work done outside of session) and it has changed and saved her life. There is no way that the author could have â€Å"talked her way out† of such significantly pathological episodes with such little time, support, and resources. The author also strongly believes in the power of choice and in being a part of a collaborative effort that involves the therapist, a physician, and a solid support system. All of these people know the treatment plan and hold the author accountable for her part in staying well. The importance of having a solid, attainable, and clear treatment plan is paramount. The author has tried numerous other therapies without any success, such as Gestalt and psychoanalytic. Many emotive and behavioral issues that the author, close friends, and her family have struggled with have improved because changes were made in their cognitive processes, specifically, identifying automatic thoughts and understanding the core beliefs from which they stem. Overall, even with its limitations, the author believes that this type of therapy is useful in a variety of settings, and that its transparency and efficacy is attractive to people in similar situations. It is worth saying that modern CB therapies are becoming more amenable to counting emotional and historical factors into the great thought/action equation. Theoretical integration However, working strictly within the framework of a single theory may not provide counselors and therapists with the therapeutic flexibility to account for the complexities of human behavior, especially when the range of client types and this was the problems are taken into consideration One reason for integration is the recognition that no single theory is comprehensive enough to cover it all. She contends that individuals can only be truly understood by taking into consideration all the aspects of human functioning. Its important to present the advantages of constructing a systematic, consistent, personal, and disciplined approach to integrating various elements into a therapist’s practice and to be careful not to haphazardly pick and choose from this theory and that one, as that may harm the client instead of doing good. After much consideration, the author has chosen theoretical integration which â€Å"refers to a conceptual or theoretical creation beyond a mere blending of techniques that has the goal of producing a conceptual framework that synthesizes the best of two or more theoretical approaches under the assumption that the outcome will be richer than either of the theories alone† (Lazarus amp; Lazarus, 1991) and looks at the person more holistically than CBT alone. The author would like to be theoretically consistent but technically eclectic. Within this integrated approach, she prefers multimodal assessments, whose underlying principle is tailoring the treatment to the individual’s needs. By asking â€Å"who or what is best for this particular individual? † we can get a better, bigger picture of what theories (or parts of them) to carefully employ. Sample questions in a MM assessment might be How active are you? How emotional are you? Do you have a vivid imagination? How much of a thinker are you? How social are you? Do you take good care of your body and physical health? (Lazarus amp; Lazarus, 1991). Arnold Lazarus wrote in 1958 that humans are the product of genetic endowment, the environment and social learning†¦ humans respond to perceptions rather than to reality† (Lazarus amp; Lazarus, 1991, p. 8). This struck a chord with the author, who fully subscribes to this view of perception. The author also draws from the post-modern solution-focused approach because she believes that it useful to consider the client’s strengths and potential. This therapy is based on the optimistic assumption that people are healthy, competent, resourceful, and possess the ability to construct solutions It also acknowledges that certain societal constructs and expectations can limit the persons full potential (Corey, 2009). She also likes the concept of externalizing problems. This preference is probably due to her cultural upbringing. As someone who is multicultural, this therapy seems cohesive with the philosophy of multiculturalism therapists can learn from their clients about their experiential world, rather than approaching clients with a preconceived notion about their experience. The author also believes that the past informs our present and even our future. It’s difficult to wrap one’s head completely around the â€Å"here and now† when much of that may have happened last week or in childhood. From the psychodynamic and Adlerian perspectives, the author considers the value of family and personal history, past relationships, and Freudian concepts such as ego defense mechanisms. Furthermore, the author appreciates the take that feminism offers on education, multiculturalism, and advocacy. The author posed a question at the beginning of this paper: what does this particular client need most in order to heal, to grow, to be safe with him/herself and with others, to suffer less, to cope more effectively, and to behave in a way that will keep him or her from getting into trouble? Truthfully, there is something positive to be said about every theory. Each one attempts to help the client albeit in different ways, and although right now the author’s inclination is toward CBT, there are other schools from which she would like to learn more; she recognizes that the complexities of being human very simply demand a multi-dimensional understanding of people. Ideally, the triad of affect, behavior, and cognition should be addressed, although the order in which they are addressed is the main difference between the most popular theories. In the author’s opinion, it’s a matter of what came first – the chicken or the egg. We can only make educated guesses. Therapists cannot integrate what they dont know, so they have to be familiar with and well-educated in a lot of different therapies in order to appropriately and thoughtfully integrate, if that is what they choose to do. In the end, this therapist’s objective is to help clients think about their beliefs and assumptions, to experience at the feeling level their conflicts and struggles, and to actually translate their insights into action programs by behaving in new and productive ways in their everyday lives. The entire point is to be an efficient, caring, knowledgeable, and compassionate helper.

Significance of the 1920s free essay sample

The 1920s was a significant decade in American history. Some acknowledge the twenties as The Roaring Twenties and as a major period in the Progressive Era. Through that time many advancements have left a long lasting affect on American society. Some of these advancements include new innovative technologies and a major step up in womens social status. The automobile was one of the most innovative technologies of the era. First being manufactured in the late 1800s the automobile did not reach a high popularity until the twenties. The car has offered so much in America. The main thing the car did was provide a new mean of transportation. Before a persons way of getting around was by walking, wagon, or the rail roads. The car gave people the ability to travel further and go to anywhere they wanted to in there own personal vehicle. That was not the only thing the car offered. We will write a custom essay sample on Significance of the 1920s or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It was not a thing for people to spend money but for people to gain money from it. The popularity of the car rising led to an increase for demand , opening many new jobs for many people who were in need of work. Henry Ford became a big entrepreneur and founded the assembly line. He found a way to produce mass products as well as a way to open many new jobs that paid pretty well. Cars just did not just open factory jobs but jobs for transportation, mechanics, gas stations, and many more. The car has changed the way people live as a way for people to go around and explore new things and places. The twenties had a major impact on women’s social status. Through time women have been oppressed by man and looked at to be inferior to them. That all changed with the start of the Seneca Falls Convention in the mid 1800. Elizabeth Cady Stanton wanted women to begin to take a stand for themselves and to fight for equality among the men. This sparked many future protest for womens rights. Their main goal was for womens suffrage giving them the power to be able to vote. With a strong will determination they acquired a major victory and won the right to vote through the ratification of the 19th Amendment. Womens social status changed as for they were able to become a major influence in the government. Along with gaining a voice in government, Women began to become open with themselves in society. The twenties introduced the flappers, which was a young woman who showed disdain for conventional dress and behavior. Women began to change their style of fashion and their way of living life. Before the twenties the main role of most woman in society was to stay at home and clean up their homes and provide cook food for the family, but in the twenties they began to go out and drink, smoke, and party. The modifications of the 1920‘s has permanently changed America. The automobile has grown even more popular and is almost in the homes of every American. Women still continue to fight for more equality and used to be looked as inferior to be more accepted in society.

Euthanasia - Just the Facts essays

Euthanasia - Just the Facts essays One of the most public and controversial social issues today surrounds the issues of euthanasia. The outcome of that debate will profoundly affect family relationships, interaction between doctors and patients, and concepts of basic ethical behavior. With so much at stake, more is needed than a duel of one-liners, slogans and sound bites. Euthanasia is a rapidly growing social problem. The opinions on this topic are influenced by different groups and beliefs, such as religion, culture, governmental standards, and personal beliefs causing euthanasia to become a major social problem in the world today.. Euthanasia has been an intense issue all over the world causing a constant debate among differing opinions. Oregon and the Netherlands have legalized euthanasia giving permission to the physician for the intentional killing by act or omission of a dependent human being for his or her alleged benefit. Purely at an objective point of view, euthanasia is definitely considered a social problem. Euthanasia is defined by The American Heritage Dictionary as "the action of killing an individual for reasons considered to be merciful". Here, killing is described as the physical action where one individual actively kills another. Euthanasia is tolerated in the medical field under certain circumstances when a patient is suffering profoundly and death is inevitable. However, the word "euthanasia" is much more difficult to define. Each person may define euthanasia differently. Who is to decide whether a death is good or not? Is any form of death good? All of these questions can be answered differently by each person. It is generally taken today to mean that act which a health care professional carries out to help his/her patient achieve a good death. There should be no conflict between hospice and euthanasia, both are valid options in a caring society. Both are appropriate to different people with ...

Book Analysis on Undercover

As the days grow shorter, Elisa worries that the increasingly urgent letters she sends her father wont bring him home. Like the undercover agent she feels she has become, Elisa retreats to a pond in the woods, where her talent for ice-skating gives her the confidence to come out from under cover and take centre stage. But when Lila becomes jealous of Theos friendship with Elisa, her revenge nearly destroys Elisas ice-skating dreams and her plan to reunite her family. A. Book 1. Author Beth Kephart was nominated for the National Book Award for her book A SLANT OF SUN. In 2000, she received a National Endowment for the Arts grant, and she also won Pew Fellowships in Arts grant in 2005. At the age of nine, Beth Kephart began to skate on a pond in Boston, where she taught herself the every moves Elisa teaches herself in this story. Beth won her first competitive freestyle competition at a Wilmington, Delaware, rink. Today she ballroom dances and is an avid gardener. She lives in Pennsylvania with her family. 2. Title The main character in the story fits the title under cover, the fact that the main character hides her skill of skiing to her friends and family. B. Characters Protagonist: Elisa Cantor- she is a father’s daughter and doesn’t really relate well with her mother and sister. Antagonist: Lisa- Theo’s girlfriend; known for her beauty and popularity. Supporting Characters: Tina Cantor- Elisa and Jilly’s Mother. Jilly- Elisa’s Sister, she is a very fashionable teenager like her mother. Mr. Cantor- Elisa’s Father, he understands Elisa. Theo- Elisa’s classmate in Honors English, a special friend and one of the boys who ask love notes from Elisa. Margie- Elisa’s past best friend in eighth grade and classmate in Honors English. Dr. Charmin- an Honors English teacher and believed and supports Elisa’s talent in writing. Mr. Marcoroon- a strict Math teacher. Mrs. Garland- a friend of Tina. Stuart little- a client of Mr. Cantor in San Francisco. Sarah- an Honour English student. II. Plot A. Exposition 1. Setting The story takes place in a pond in the woods where she always find herself at ease and thinking she could be herself there alone while skating. B. Complication When her father has to go away for work it makes their life complicated. To make it even more complicated, Elisa starts to fall on a boy who she is providing with poetry to woo another girl. C. Climax Lila tore the dress of Elisa before the start of the skating competition. D. Denouement Elisa never let herself be defeated by wearing the torn dress made by the antagonist, Lila, while skating gracefully. E. Resolution Yes it’s a happy ending because finally her family was once again reunited and everyone accepted the real her. III. Analysis 1. Did you admire the author for writing this book? Why? Yes. A teenager who reads this book would really understand the feelings and thinking’s of the main character of the story. Many teenagers can relate of how it feels to be a loner or to be bullied. 2. Tell something about the cover, did it spark your interest? Does it fit the story? It did spark my interest because it makes me wonder what story it will give me. Yes it does fit in the story because the covers do tell the story. 3. Who is your most favourite character? Why? My favourite character in the story is Elisa Cantor. For being brave enough to uncover her great skill to everybody even when she herself has no confidence that everyone would accept her and gain their respect. 4. Who is your least favourite character? Why? My least favourite character in the story is Lisa, because of her jealousy of Theo’s friendship with Elisa; her revenge nearly destroys Elisa’s ice-skating dreams and her plan to reunite her family. . What is your favourite part of the story? Why? My favourite part of the story is when Elisa got sick during the last days of Christmas season, which was the time that her sister and mother took care of her and after her sickness they finally become close to each other. 6. What is your least favourite part of the story? Why? My lea st favourite part of the story is when Lisa and her friends destroyed Elisa’s dress that was made by her mother and sister for the ice-skating competition. 7. Discuss your favourite quote from the story. â€Å"You do not have to be good. You do not have to walk on your knees for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting. You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves. Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine. Meanwhile the world goes on. Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain Are moving across the landscape, Over the prairies and the deep trees, the mountains and the rivers. Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air, Are heading home again. Whoever you are, no matter how lonely, The world offers itself to your imagination, Calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting Over and over announcing your place in the family of things. † It tells about a person who doesn’t have to be perfect just to meet their expectations. Being yourself is a lot more happy and easy than pretending or trying to be someone you are not. 8. What is your realization about life after reading the novel? After reading the story I realize in life that you shouldn’t hide yourself from others, don’t be scared of letting them know your true self and don’t give up on something that you haven’t tried yet.

Program Analysis-Enterting the workforce at a later age Essay

Program Analysis-Enterting the workforce at a later age - Essay Example The issue is important because it ensures that all employees remain lively and with elevated spirits. Studies have confirmed that boredom in the workplace reduces employee productivity. People at a later age also continually lose taste and interest in life (Gregory, 2001). They have many depressing life experiences, have families with needs, and think about their life after retirement. These factors may significantly impact on their performance in the workplace if they are not properly looked into. They want an environment full of joy and comfort, especially joy that leads to mental comfort. The later is best attained through entertainment activities. Entertainment affects new workers, single and working couples in a number of ways. It allows the workers to have some joyous space away from the stressing circumstances of daily life. Through entertainment, new workers acclimatize better to the workplace environment by learning to socialize easily with the other employees (Gregory, 2001). The socialization factor is enhanced by the elevated moods of the employees that enable them to talk openly, share ideas and experiences of life. The workplace becomes another home with entertainment and leisure joints over and above the busy schedule. Working couples at a later age may also lack entertainment and fun in their homes. Most of their children are married, working, or studying. This creates an environment of boredom in their homes. Entertainment in the workplace makes them prefer and enjoy being at the workplace. The more they extend their stay at the workplace, the more their productivity increases. They develop a passion and preferen ce for the workplace that makes them good performers. The best workplace program for dealing with entertainment of aged workforce is by initiation of an entertainment joint at the workplace. After the busy

The Genetics of autism, a complex human disease Dissertation

The Genetics of autism, a complex human disease - Dissertation Example The paper tells that autism is not a disease condition but it displays genetic and non-genetic basis. Autism encompasses a wide range of developmental disorders and therefore it is considered as the autistic spectrum disorders (ASDs) regarded as an extensive variety of behavioural provinces involving- lack of social interaction by the child; inappropriate language and communication skills; diminished activities. Research studies carried out for the past 5 decades now establish the fact that autism is the result of multiple interaction of genetic factors. Considering the epidemiology of autism, various environmental factors encompassing exposure to toxic chemicals such as teratogens which are responsible for causing developmental abnormalities, perinatal abuse, infections during prenatal phase involving rubella and cytomegalovirus, epilepsy are the most probable reasons that is known to be responsible for causing autism. Studies also reveal the association of autism with frequency

Canters Behavior Essay Example for Free

Canters Behavior Essay Dylan is a five year old boy that from the very start showed disruptive behavior frequently throughout the classroom. Dylan’s teacher has well- documented his actions and she has asked the administrators of the school for support, plus she has also referred Dylan to have a behavioral evaluation. The teacher has spoken with Dylan’s parents on many occasions and they say his behavior was the same at home. Dylan’s parents also stated that his disruptive behavior was his way of seeking attention. During this time Dylan’s behavior is generally getting more and more disruptive and aggressive. With the teacher’s observation logs, Dylan’s is having a rough time playing along with other children and is having a difficult time following directions. Just about every day Dylan is hitting, yelling, or is taking things away from the other children’s hands to get the teacher to come over and see what is wrong. Many of the children have made the decision to ignore him or to just move in another direction away from him. With his academic skills he is far more behind than the other students in class. Dylan has the knowledge to finish the activities, but he is rarely in the mood to do so. Sometimes the issues begin when the teacher starts giving everyone there assignment and is working quietly, that’s when Dylan’s behavior really goes through the roof, and when he is told what to do about his behavior. While the disruptive behavior remains the teacher’s patience with Dylan starts to run very thin and begins to call out to every unacceptable behavior that he shows. These actions start to have a negative influence on the attitudes of the remaining students. Most of students start to mimic Dylan’s actions while the others students are not finishing their work. This can result in the teacher needing to spend a lot of time having to deal with Dylan’s behavior and not having enough time with to teach. Teachers have many avenues to teach students successfully and professionally take care of unacceptable behaviors. One step would be to use the Canter’s Behavior Management Cycle, into effect (Canters 2006). Canter has three steps; first, effectively communicating explicit directions, second, using behavior narration and third, taking corrective action. When starting to use Canters’ cycle teachers will need to take the time to use two very important methods at the start of the school year this is going to help minimize disruptive behaviors. One, creates lessons on appropriate behavior for specific parts of the school day, activities, and transitions (Canters p. 31) and second creates a, â€Å"Responsible Behavior Curriculum,† for the first two weeks of the school year (Canters chap. ). This curriculum will set the tone of the class for introducing what is acceptable with appropriate behaviors, and that they are expected to follow the rules from students throughout the school day. Teachers should start with Canters’ behavioral cycle; Dylan’s teacher needs to start with the first step. The first step will need to that the teacher to communicate clear, specific and detailed directions. The directions are being given to Dylan and he is to follow them precise. When giving directions they need to be quite clear and on point at all costs. The teacher needs to always evade being unclear to the students, if they know what is expected of them they will follow. The teacher’s directions should contain precisely how the students are to conduct themselves in the classroom. Explicit directions should include the, â€Å"expectations for student verbal behavior, physical movement, and participation† (Canters p. 53). The teacher needs to never make the mistakes of assuming what the students know, what the expectations of their behavior is, and the teacher should always recall the students on a daily basis what is expected of them. The teacher has to have a firm grip on effective communication while having detailed directions, she can continue on to the next important step. This step involves using â€Å"Behavioral Narration† (Chapter 9), which is how the teacher will positively motivate Dylan to follow directions. One way of achieving this is to give Dylan and the class as a whole effective positive feedback (Canters p. 58). When giving detailed directions, the teacher should look to notice which student within seconds of giving the directions to see who is really following the directions that were given. The teacher needs to point out who is listening to the directions and how the students are following the directions. At the moment when Dylan is being difficult the teacher does not need to focus on giving Dylan more attention, but try to focus on the students who are listening and making good choices. When trying to change the unwanted behavior the teacher needs to try to use the behavioral narration, which will allow the teacher to repeat the rules and define the acceptable behavior of students who are making good choices. This will show the students their teacher is mindful of the actions that are taking place and is more than ready to fix any problems that may arise. When the teacher acknowledges the acceptable behaviors and recaps the directions it sets a wonderful start and a positive atmosphere in the room. The class will be regularly recalled on what is expected from their behavior, students are expected to follow the rules, students who were not able to receive or finish their assignment will have time to finish and catch up with the rest of the class. Students will be given a chance to have time to catch up when needing be. With this step it can go the extra mile by setting up an award-system in place. For example, when the directions are given the teacher notices Dylan is sitting where his seat is and he is working on the assignment that was given to him, then the teacher would say to his friends, â€Å"Look at Dylan he is sitting at his seat and is working on his assignment so nicely I am going to have to give Dylan his extra class point that he earned in class. Ultimately this will inspire Dylan to have more acceptable behaviors and the other students to strive for the goals that are set up for the students to obtain. The last action of the cycle is corrective action taken (Chap. 10). When the direct instructions have been given out, looking to observe the group for ten seconds, reports were made on students that are on the right track, and when Dylan is not following directions; then you must use the corrective action. This is done by directive verbal statements or disciplinary consequences (Canters p. 9). The teacher needs to peacefully reaffirm the instructions and notify the students of their penalties and what their actions have caused. This can also let Dylan and the entire class knows and understands that you are very serious about bringing an end to unacceptable behavior. Students need to know, understand, and be aware of the effects for disrupting the class and just making unacceptable choices. When the unacceptable behavior remains untouched the procedure needs to be shadowed with the corresponding reaction. Every time a student shows a disruptive behavior it should be dealt with immediately and that the penalties produced is entirely from the student’s actions. In order for students to learn the rules must be enforced. Students have to have structure so they can flourish, they need to know what is expected of them on day one. Once a child knows that they cannot get away with disruptive behavior they will tend to not want to misbehave. If there is a reward system they will definitely want to have a reward at the end of the day or week. Consistency is the key to keeping students where they need to be in order to have peace in the room.

Young Offenders Act In Canada :: essays research papers fc

Young Offenders Act in Canada   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The subject of young offenders in our troubled society has been one that has generated many hours of thought and meditation for concerned members. It is felt by many that the change needed in the area of delinquency within the First Nations culture is to overcome the effects of colonization and this must begin with the youth. It is with the youth that the future of the culture lies.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There has been extensive research done in this area and although much of the material is not directed at one specific culture in society, the facts remain that it is a problem that is growing in epidemic proportions. Many of the programs that exist in society today do not address the problems associated with young offenders of specific cultures. Although the trend is moving in a direction that addresses programs for specific cultural groups much more emphasis must be put on these programs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For First Nations youth that are locked into the juvenile system, there must be alternative treatment programs made available that deal with the problems associated with the colonization process that generations of First Nations people have been subjected to. The process of decolonization will only be achieved through education, understanding, and perseverance, and this can only be achieved by First Nations people working with First Nations people.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As indicated earlier much research has been done on the problems associated with young offenders and the current treatment programs. In the following research some of the most recent and important pieces have been used and to eliminate repetition much has been deemed unnecessary. Bibliography Cooke, David J., Baldwin, Pamela J., Howison, Jacqueline. (1990).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Psychology in Prisons. London: Routledge.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the second chapter of this book the authors explain in detail the psychology of criminal behavior and how it develops at a young age. Early environment of the adolescent, along with socio-economic status of the young offenders are but a few of the possibilities explored in this book. The authors explore the many influences that can shape the lives of young people, the influences of feelings and thoughts, others behavior, and surroundings, are all thought to shape the minds of the young offender. This publication will be primarily used to explore the history and causes of the subject of young offenders. Davidson II, William S., Rednor, Robin,. (1990). Alternative Treatments for Troubled Youth: The Case of Diversion From The Justice System. New York: Plenum Press.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This publication presents the findings of a research study done on alternative interventions with delinquent youth. The authors goal in writing this book was to describe an alternative intervention model and to examine its

Literature review on contemporary HRD Essay

Critically discuss and evaluate current perspectives on the changing role and nature of training and learning in organisations and human resource development. This should include a critical appraisal of key theoretical perspectives on the strategic role of HRD within contemporary organisational contexts Within this submission, I have illustrated the changing role and nature of training and learning within context of a learning organisation. Training and learning in organisations. So what do we mean by training and learning within an organisation? One view is that it is about developing a learning organisation, an ‘organization that is continually expanding its capacity to create its future. For such an organization, it is not enough merely to survive, ‘Survival learning’ what is more often termed ‘adaptive learning’ is important, indeed it is necessary. But for a learning organization, ‘adaptive learning’ must be joined by ‘generative learning,’ learning that enhances our capacity to create’. Senge (1999:14) Further support for this ‘generative’ view is seen in Wick and Westley (1996) who take the perspective that a learning organisation should be seen against the backdrop of its culture. Arguing values, beliefs, feelings, artefacts, myths, symbols, metaphors’ form part of any approach taken by a learning organisation. It arguably impossible to clinically define what a learning organisation consists of in a generic form. By creating a learning organisation you create a learning climate, thus hopefully a training and learning culture. Senge takes the view that, what fundamentally will distinguish learning organizations from traditional authoritarian â€Å"controlling organizations† will be the ‘mastery of certain basic disciplines. That is why the â€Å"disciplines of the learning organization† are vital’. Senge (1999: 5). However, it is to be noted that Senge uses the word discipline to mean a set of practices rather than a rigid system of rules, which is often inferred understood in the modern use of the word. Going on to comment, ‘To practice a discipline is to be a lifelong learner. You never arrive; you spend your life mastering disciplines’. Senge (1999: 11) Futher confirming the view that, this area of management study is far from being a science, but he does present offer a few guiding principles in his best selling book, The Fifth Discipline, ‘Have realistic goals, challenge your assumptions, commit to a shared vision and that teamworking is good for you. We see here the dualistic approach of both the need for the organisation and the individual to become intrinsically involved in the concept. Although a popular view, others have felt that organisation learn in there own right, almost biologically. Schon for example sees organisations as, ‘repositories of knowledge’ independent of their members (Schon, 1983:242). There is a wide school of thought that learning organisations develop and are not imposed, ‘†¦as cultures develop and alter their expectations, (an example of which would include the demise of unions and the capitalist ideology of the Thatcher years) so must organisations change that employ within that culture.’ (Schon, 1983). Further cultural identities in terms of sector, product or organisations must also be taken into account, highlighted by the work of both Argyris (1960) and Hofstede (1994). One mistaken view is that the term a ‘learning organisation’ is a new concept. It is certainly true that as the world changes new approaches must be investigated to maintain both personal and organisational survival. However, the idea that organisations have only recently had to deal with changing situations, both operationally and strategically, is clearly absurd. Only the pace and scope of change in the last 50 years has brought the spotlight on organisations managing its human resource in a more effective manner. It remains a truism that it is not an argument about leaning and development, after all we have all learnt and development within any organisation we have been in contact with either consciously or subconsciously. The argument must surely be how we identify, focus and deliver that learning in an organisational context to produce value to the individual and therefore hopefully the organization. A view highlighted by Argyris and Schon (1974) Historically this point is confirmed, ‘We trained hard†¦ but it seemed that every time we were beginning to form up in teams we would be reorganised. I was to learn later in life that we tend to meet any new situation by reorganising†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Caius Petronius, AD 65. However, the key element of a learning organisation is that it is about people and how they learn, develop and ultimately (or hopefully) contribute to the organisation. The link with HRD is therefore both binding and key in determining how T&D takes place in an organisation. Yet we still come back to what is a learning organisation. One simple view that will form the basis of my assignment is, ‘A learning organisation can, in plain terms, be described as an organisation which anticipates changes in its environment by learning on a strategic level; deliberately aims at improving its ability for learning and which, in order to learn on a strategic level, makes use of the learning of all employees, therefore this employee learning is enhanced at all hierarchical levels. (Sambrook and Stewart, IDPM Paper 1999). Therefore, it can be argued that the development of a learning organisation the most important factor in the changing role of T&D within organisations. Human Resource Development (HRD) Having settled on a broad view of what a learning organisation is, fitting it within a HRD context can only be achieved if we understand what we mean by HRD. In a learning context, HRD has been described as, ‘Organised learning experiences in a definite time period to increase the possibility of improving job performance growth’. (Nadler and Nadler, 1990:1.3). However, HRD covers a much wider field, ‘HRD is the integrated use of training and development, career development, and organisation development to improve individual and organisational effectiveness. (McLagan and Suhadolnik, 1989:10). A further view, ‘HRD is a process of developing and/or unleashing human expertise through organisation development (OD) and personnel training and development (T&D) for the purpose of improving performance. Swanson (1998) confirms this view that HRD is about the relationship of individuals with the organisation in a learning environment. But surely, HRD can be defined more accurately? Presently there is no universal view or agreement on the theory or multiple theories that support HRD as a discipline. On one hand some have called for systems theory to serve as a unifying theory for HRD to access all useful theories as required (Gradous, (1989) and on the other hand many have proposed sets of principles in the forms of comparative lists of added value, products, processes, and expertise (Brethower, 1995). The alterative to having a sound theoretical and disciplinary base for the HRD profession is the present state of ‘rudderless random activity aggressively sponsored by a theoretical professional associations and greedy consultants’ (Micklethwait & Wooldridge, 1996; Swanson, 1997). This view, it is argued, is a short-term sell of perceived success without having a deep understanding of the key components of the concept. ‘For this reason, a discrete and logical set of theories as the foundation of HRD is proposed. It is comprised of psychological theory, economic theory, and systems theory’ (Passmore, 1997; Swanson, 1995, 1999). Economic theory is recognised as the primary force at the organisational level with the systems theory recognising the importance of direction, politics and purpose that could affect any organisational system. Psychological theory acknowledges human beings as a resource, whilst trying to understand the behavioural patterns that must be taken into account, opening the HRD function up to new ideas and concepts such as NLP and EQ. It is believed by Passmore, Swanson et al. that these three theories, more than any others, make up the modern view of HRD. Development of HRD Early incarnations of HRD concerned themselves with a personal management function, ‘Personal management function at an administrative level, independent of commercial realities, into a concept that has become central to the strategic and commercial success of the organisation.’ (Huczynski and Buchanan, 2001: 668) However, as organisations adapted to change and new ways of thinking so did its human resource function: 1964-70 – systematic approach to diagnosis of training 1968-75 – standardization training for job categories by industry. (Such as motor, construction and social work) Thorough off-job basic education for skilled occupations 1970-75 – systematic planning of training for all categories of employee 1974-80 – company contribution to training for young people and long-term unemployed to meet national needs 1979-90 – business-orientated training directed at improving organizational effectiveness (value added) 1988 – present – personal development with individualized plans for which each employee and their boss take responsibility. Sambrook & Stewart IDPM Paper (1999) The last of these observations highlights a move away from organisational directed learning, as it sees the individual start to take more control of their own development needs. Due to the differences in organisational needs, cultural context organisational structure and resources available, the concept of the individual taking more responsibility for their development is a significant shift away from earlier ideas. Additionally, there has been a shift in the last decade from organisations training to meet competence voids, towards a more learning environment that relies on experiential learning and self direction. It is argued, such an approached, does not limit itself to training, ‘†¦but stretched to facilitating and supporting learning processes within the organisation, with the aim to contribute to meaningful organisational learning processes. Sambrook & Stewart IDPM Paper (1999) This clearly has an impact on the concept of HRD and any approach it may take within an organisation. (cf. case study research by Tjepkema & Wognum, 1995). Once again, it can therefore be argued, that a key role of HRD is to create and/or maintain a learning organisational environment as the foundation to any training and learning within an organisation. Yet even with this backdrop, many commentators still take the view that HRD should be subject to tight quantitive justification, that HRD needs to demonstrate that their activities add value to the organisation which is their paymaster. (Walton 1999: 1). However, Walton falls short of believing that value is the only issue in developing a learning organisation through a HRD function. Yet there remains a broad body of support that does lean towards this view. Swanson and Arnold (1997) consider that HRD in an organisational context has no meaning unless the connection is made to performance. A point echoed, Welsh 1998 who contends, ‘An employer doesn’t teach for the sake of learning †¦ What are the rewards?’ (Welch, 1998). With Mayo adding softness to the argument by involving a learning process to the HRD list of ingredients, ‘there needs to be a systematic method of linking business goals with the learning process. Mayo 2001: 82 However, there remains a danger that the HRD function, however defined, becomes over indulgent, becoming the end rather than the means to add some value to the sponsoring organisation. Maybe it is this fear, which when added to high-level managerial naivety of modern HRD approaches, which has seen many a HRD organisation become the first casualty of any downsizing. But why has the evolution of HRD been necessary? Quite simply the world of people and the environments in which they work has changed. A decade ago, Peter Drucker anticipated this change when he said in The Age of Discontinuity. ‘Businessmen will have to learn to build and manage innovative organizations.’ Others continue to see change. Ansoff, a long-time student of business strategy, adds as he envisages organisations reducing its reliance on structure: ‘†¦ Structure will become a dynamic enabler of both change and unchange, the ultimate model of ‘organised chaos’. (Peters and Waterman Jr, 1995: 111) Thus asking the question, can HRD stand still in a world of chaos or will is need to develop further new strategies to protect its value to a given organisation? The world is changing and as long as the interpretation and subsequent management of the change is influenced by human organisations the HRD function, however loosely defined, will need to continually adapt if it is to both manage and influence organisational direction if it is find a place in this ever changing ‘chaos’. Strategic HRD With a change in the type of work being undertaken in the western economy over the last 50 years, less ‘dominated by labour-intensive, low-tech industries with semi-skilled operatives, to high-tech industries reliant on highly skilled knowledge workers in relatively short supply, individuals are now seen as the single most significant source of sustainable competitive advantage.’ Walton (1999: 85) The role of HRD has therefore needed to change to provide the level of support required from its parent organisation. The management, retention and developing of this organisational resource, ‘knowledge workers’,(Wilson 1999) has taken on greater importance at higher managerial levels. A reflection of this is the fact HRD/HRM in many large organisations plays a much more important role at boardroom level, contributing to the overall organisational strategy. But does a HRD manager sitting on the Board make HRD strategic? Walton (1999) argues that for HRD to become strategic is needs to be HRD with a holistic, long-term approach, that may or may not develop a strategic awareness of company goals. He defines the term as one, ‘undertaken with full strategic intent, with an understanding how the initiative being undertaken adds to the coherence of the SHRD effort, congruent with an explicit learning philosophy incorporated into the overall organisation mission’ In short, for it to be strategic the HRD function needs to be holistic with a function to integrate and develop into the overall strategic management system. A little clarification comes from Burgoyne 1988, ‘†¦strategic approach has to be conscious and reflective; unplanned, interpersonal and functional experiences cannot be classified as strategic in organisational terms unless explicitly linked to implementation of corporate policy.’ However, Burgoyne does takes the view that such an approach should be linked to the hard systems of HRD such as planning, recruitment and selection strategies, feeling that a more objective approach is better implemented and quantified within an organisation. As Harrison (1997) points out, ‘despite the hype that surrounds a number of organisations where the planned development of people has made a notable contribution to the achievement of business goals†¦research has failed to reveal any significant connection between HRD and business strategy across the UK.’ An example of a SHRD approach was for many organisations the move toward individual responsibility for there own learning, ‘At the beginning of the decade the strategic attention was focused on self-managed learning, continuous personal development, learning organisation and the people messages associated with Total Quality Management (TQM). Walton (1999: 85). Nearly 15 years later many organisations are still working at getting this message across to a workforce that has not fully grasped the concept. The debate about turning strategy into practice remains an issue that continues to find its way into many Board rooms and commented on by many and varied management writers. However, because SHRD has taken a holistic view, fully integrated into the organisational management strategy, is that all that is needed for HRD to become SHRD. Wilson (1999) argues that HRD will deal with detail whilst modern SHRD should do no more than provide a framework for guidance, a point touched on by Mayo, ‘ †¦the task for HQ†¦is to determine the frameworks of best practice which will enable diverse and locally owned implementation, and to provide consultant help built round the local need,’ putting the view that organisations operate better when decentralised and given there own accountability and responsibly. It is clear in this scenario that anything other than a SHRD framework would be difficult to implement. An example of such a framework maybe, ‘a successful learning climate’ Walton (1999: 11) Conclusion Over the last decade, the role of HRD has both, found a niche and come under fire in organisations trying to compete in an ever changing political, economic and cultural environment. Add globalisation, demographic changes and the ever changing world of information technology (IT) and not surprisingly, HRD has had to both adapt and show direction in its approach and function in modern organisations. Balancing between both an art and a science it has had to prove its value to organisations in what ironically is the very environment it should be showing its main worth – managing the human resource in a world of constant change in compressed markets. The struggle of organisations to produce strategy in Tom Peters world of innovation and creativity, often results in the crisis, tactical, and short term approach taken by many organisations that often goes on to see HRD as the first enemy target of this struggle. The need for definition and justification for a HRD component remains more real today than at any time if it is not to been see as a luxury component in a volatile world that, arguably under pressure, relies more on economic stability than a humanistic resource development approach that often produces results beyond a strategic planning horizon. However, HRD is not a science, and as such will continue to change, develop and find new roles in the adapting, fast moving world of the modern working environment.

Accounting Ðnvironmеnt

It is a difficult challÐ µngÐ µ to maintain sight of accounting-spÐ µcific topics whilÐ µ studying accounting in thÐ µ rich and complÐ µx socio-Ð µconomic contÐ µxt in which it occurs. In an attÐ µmpt to mÐ µÃ µt thÐ µ challÐ µngÐ µ, thÐ µ focus of thÐ µ accounting cyclÐ µ is to: (1) idÐ µntify charactÐ µristics that makÐ µ accounting information uniquÐ µ and (2) undÐ µrstand how accounting is donÐ µ, and study how that may bÐ µ a consÐ µquÐ µncÐ µ of how accounting is usÐ µd. (Paton and LittlÐ µton, 1989)As Ð µxamplÐ µs of thÐ µ first propÐ µrty, accounting data is aggrÐ µgatÐ µd–a small numbÐ µr of accounts summarizÐ µ thÐ µ information containÐ µd in a largÐ µ numbÐ µr of transactions. It is prÐ µparÐ µd in accordancÐ µ with doublÐ µ-Ð µntry rulÐ µs. It is auditÐ µd. It is trackÐ µd ovÐ µr multiplÐ µ pÐ µriods. It givÐ µs thÐ µ prÐ µparÐ µr of accounting rÐ µports a curious amount of discrÐ µtion (through thÐ µ choi cÐ µ of accruals). ThÐ µ accounting cyclÐ µ also strÐ µssÐ µs that accounting information oftÐ µn works bÐ µst whÐ µn usÐ µd in conjunction with othÐ µr information.( HorngrÐ µn, FostÐ µr and Datar, 2000)First thÐ µ accounting cyclÐ µ is prÐ µsÐ µntÐ µd in its normal sÐ µquÐ µncÐ µ. That is, start with transactions, writÐ µ journal Ð µntriÐ µs, post to T-accounts, and prÐ µparÐ µ financial statÐ µmÐ µnts. WhilÐ µ this procÐ µss makÐ µs usÐ µ of doublÐ µ Ð µntry, it is unclÐ µar why doublÐ µ Ð µntry is bÐ µing usÐ µd. To dÐ µvÐ µlop a bÐ µttÐ µr apprÐ µciation for thÐ µ powÐ µr and bÐ µauty of doublÐ µ Ð µntry, onÐ µ turns to rÐ µvÐ µrsÐ µ Ð µnginÐ µÃ µring. That is, start with financial statÐ µmÐ µnts and dÐ µrivÐ µ transaction amounts that could havÐ µ gÐ µnÐ µratÐ µd thÐ µ statÐ µmÐ µnts. Working backward to uncovÐ µr transactions (thÐ µ invÐ µrting Ð µxÐ µrcisÐ µ) complÐ µmÐ µnts thÐ µ morÐ µ traditional approach of working forward from transactions to financial statÐ µmÐ µnts.OthÐ µr propÐ µrtiÐ µs (and advantagÐ µs) of doublÐ µ Ð µntry can thÐ µn bÐ µ Ð µxplorÐ µd. First, it allows for a convÐ µniÐ µnt rÐ µprÐ µsÐ µntation of information rÐ µtainÐ µd and supprÐ µssÐ µd during thÐ µ accounting cyclÐ µ. SÐ µcond, it allows for a visual-dirÐ µctÐ µd graph rÐ µprÐ µsÐ µntation, which makÐ µs somÐ µ wÐ µll-known nÐ µtwork flow rÐ µsults accÐ µssiblÐ µ. (Paton and LittlÐ µton, 1989)An application of thÐ µsÐ µ rÐ µsults is prÐ µsÐ µntÐ µd in thÐ µ contÐ µxt of auditing. In fact, thÐ µ auditing Ð µxamplÐ µ lÐ µnds somÐ µ illumination as to why accounting, and not othÐ µr information sourcÐ µs, is auditÐ µd. ThÐ µ kÐ µy again turns out to bÐ µ doublÐ µ Ð µntry.An advantagÐ µ of thÐ µ invÐ µrtibility Ð µxÐ µrcisÐ µ is that it allows accÐ µss to, and rÐ µlativÐ µly transparÐ µnt applications of, a numbÐ µr of thÐ µorÐ µms in appliÐ µd mathÐ µmatics. ThÐ µ invÐ µrting procÐ µss is, aftÐ µr all, solving a systÐ µm of linÐ µar Ð µquations and inÐ µqualitiÐ µs, a systÐ µm givÐ µn a spÐ µcial structurÐ µ by doublÐ µ-Ð µntry mÐ µchanics. ЕxamplÐ µs of thÐ µorÐ µms Ð µncountÐ µrÐ µd arÐ µ thÐ µ thÐ µorÐ µm of thÐ µ sÐ µparating hypÐ µrplanÐ µ, thÐ µ duality thÐ µorÐ µms of linÐ µar programming, thÐ µ max flow-min cut algorithm, and projÐ µction thÐ µorÐ µms. (HorngrÐ µn, FostÐ µr, and Datar, 2000)Applying thÐ µ thÐ µorÐ µms in a doublÐ µ-Ð µntry contÐ µxt typically allows a convÐ µniÐ µnt visual rÐ µprÐ µsÐ µntation Ð µvÐ µn of high-dimÐ µnsion problÐ µms. AggrÐ µgation is a pÐ µrvasivÐ µ thÐ µmÐ µ in accounting. It occurs in managÐ µrial accounting tÐ µxtbooks, cost accounting, tax accounting, and financial accounting. This coursÐ µ bÐ µgins by introducing dÐ µcision problÐ µms in which thÐ µ cost of aggrÐ µgation is Ð µxplicitly d Ð µtÐ µrminÐ µd. ThÐ µ coursÐ µ can thÐ µn discuss sÐ µttings in which aggrÐ µgation is actually dÐ µsirablÐ µ.A furthÐ µr advantagÐ µ of thÐ µ visual rÐ µprÐ µsÐ µntation is that various invÐ µrtibility Ð µxÐ µrcisÐ µs can bÐ µ conductÐ µd on publishÐ µd financial statÐ µmÐ µnts. This is a convÐ µniÐ µnt way to Ð µnsurÐ µ that rÐ µal-world financial statÐ µmÐ µnts (and Ð µvÐ µry linÐ µ itÐ µm thÐ µrÐ µfrom) arÐ µ an important part of thÐ µ discussion. (Paton and LittlÐ µton, 1989)GÐ µnÐ µralizing thÐ µ thÐ µorÐ µms bÐ µyond a doublÐ µ-Ð µntry contÐ µxt allows accÐ µss to othÐ µr rÐ µlatÐ µd problÐ µms and rÐ µsults. For Ð µxamplÐ µ, gÐ µnÐ µral Ð µquilibrium and thÐ µ wÐ µlfarÐ µ thÐ µorÐ µms of Ð µconomics can bÐ µ discussÐ µd in a sÐ µmi-rigorous fashion in thÐ µ contÐ µxt of a linÐ µar production Ð µconomy.RÐ µfÐ µrÐ µncÐ µsHorngrÐ µn, C., G. FostÐ µr, and S. Datar. (2000). Cost Accounting. UppÐ µr SaddlÐ µ RivÐ µr, NJ: PrÐ µnticÐ µ Hall. Paton, W., and A. LittlÐ µton. (1989). An Introduction to CorporatÐ µ Accounting Stan.. dards. Sarasota, FL: AmÐ µrican Accounting Association.  

Forget Familiarity. You Need An Outsider On Your Team

Forget Familiarity. You Need An Outsider On Your Team Readers dont like unfamiliarity, but unfamiliarity might actually help your team. The developers here at had been working for a while on the multi-scheduler, a highly requested feature. I hadnt been much involved in that feature like I had with some of the others. The UI design, the capabilities, how it worked–I only had a scant knowledge of what they were building. The multi-scheduler was finally launched, and I was excited to use it. This feature was going to make things much easier. I had my notebook out and prepared to jot down any questions or bugs I might find and started to use it. I set out to use it with a blog post, sharing the post on all of our social networks with this new feature. Any guesses on what happened? The Problem With Familiarity When you are too familiar with something, you dont see what is right in front of your eyes. Its easy for your mind to get set in a rut. When you are too familiar with something, you dont see problems right in front of your eyes.Familiarity is why it is more difficult to catch the errors or edits in your own writing (or code) than in the writing (or code) of others. Youve become used to–and normalized–the mistake by repeatedly creating or seeing it. It isnt a bad thing, I said later, after testing the new features, that Im not always heavily involved in the development. Its a question of familiarity. The more familiar you become with your product or service or website, the more unqualified you become to judge it objectively. That doesn’t  feel  true, but it is. Cliff Seal, Logos Creative InnoCentive is a site where people who need problems solved make them available for solvers. These are complex problems that range from medical to engineering. A study by researchers at the Harvard Business School revealed something interesting about the solutions that came through InnoCentive: not only did problems get solved (33% on time, even), but they tended to be solved by people operating on the fringe of their expertise. In other words, according to Sam McNerny on the blog Big Think, [i]f a biochemistry problem only attracted biochemists it tended to remain unsolved. But if the same problem was tackled by, say, a molecular biologist or an organic chemist the chances were greater that the problem would be solved. Outside thinking was vital. Why does familiarity trip you up? The non-expert speaks. Familiarity feels a lot like expertise. People who are the experts in their area on the team dont always like being disagreed with by someone who isnt an expert. Its hard, when you know that you know what you are doing, to be told by someone who seems wholly unconnected and unfamiliar that they dont agree with your decisions. You get indignant, defensive. You have all kinds of reasons why you are right.  How dare this outsider who has no understanding of context casually saunter by and say that doesnt work. Familiarity, on its own, is an expertise that is blinded. You dont want to kill your pets. People who are unfamiliar with a project dont have favorites in the project, while you, the creator, do. Killing your pet is tough. We especially dont like someone to come along and look at hours of work and say that doesnt make any sense. Problem is, our favorite parts of a project are often the one we are most familiar with and we have no objectivity about this pet in regards to whether it works or not. A fixation on that favorite thing can easily destroy a project. We feed just the one thing. Jack of all trades, master of nothing, or so the saying goes. Were a big fan of reading books here at , and often suggest books and resources that have helped us. The thing is, its easy to get in the habit of only reading a certain subject. If youre big into startups or entrepreneurship, it would be easy to continually read books or blogs solely about those topics. Are you so familiar with one topic, one area of expertise, that youre missing out on the possible connections you could be making between it and other topics? Expertise Is Still Valuable So should we shun being an expert and hope ignorance and luck will bring about creative breakthroughs? Geoffrey Colvin, in his book Talent is Overrated: What Really Separates World-Class Performers from Everybody Else, discussed a study by Dean Keith Simonton, professor from the University of California at Davis. In his study, Simonton looked at more than 300 creative high achievers who were born between 1450 1850.  Were talking da Vinci, Beethoven–heavy hitters, in other words. He then measured their noteworthiness by how much space was devoted to them in a variety of reference works. What did Simonton find out? Plotted on a graph, the most noteworthy creators had knowledge, education, and training, but not excessive. There was a peak in the middle. It might have looked a bit like this: Does this mean youd be more creative if you knew less? Not exactly. According to Colvin, the most noteworthy creative people are those how have immersed themselves utterly in their chosen field, have devoted their lives to it, amassed tremendous knowledge of it, and continually pushed themselves to the front of it. Expertise is still a valuable component; you need experts. You need an understanding. You need the skills and the knowledge. You need that  10,000 hours of work. To be creative (and productively creative), you need a high level of skill, practice and knowledge. These are the foundations you need to even begin to approach the problems that need solving. Innovation occurs at the boundary of disciplines, but you’ll never hear about a novelist winning a Nobel Prize in physics.   @SamMcNerney Someone has to be an expert. And someone has to be able to approach a project as an outsider. If you can honestly assume the role of outsider on your own project, great. If not, youll have to find someone to do that for you. Keep in mind that the outsider may be an expert, too, but unfamiliar with your particular project. Think back to my example at the beginning: I could be considered an expert on , but the specific project was new to me. Introduce Unfamiliarity To Your Project How do you introduce the power of unfamiliarity to your project? 1. Stockpile Newbies Not everyone in your team has to be involved deeply in everything.  There is value in keeping a newbie on hand to test a product or read a blog post for the first time. If you are having a heavy planning meeting, dont bring in everyone. Bring in only the ones that need to be there. Save some of your team to be the fresh eyes that you bring in once in a while to give that unbiased outsider opinion. 2. Be Less Stubborn Consider the opinion of someone who doesnt have the expertise you have. Really consider it. Are you unwilling to listen because you cant get past your belief in your own knowledge? Are you letting arbitrary preferences or principles stand in the way?

Individualism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Individualism - Essay Example These ideas are quite useful for me as an individual and resonate perfectly well with the visions I have, this is despite the variation of the perspectives that the writers potent. I believe that they relate to me especially during this year of 2013. Emerson in his writing indicates what he notices with the verses written by eminent painter that â€Å"†¦Let the subject be what it may. The sentiment they create is of more important than any idea they may contain†¦Ã¢â‚¬  when reasoning sheer from thoughts to emotions, then the pronouncement of individual reasoning is clouded by the societal sentiments which is always swayed by propaganda and lack of reasoning. Emerson further notes that â€Å"...We but half depict ourselves, and are ashamed of that divine idea which each of us portray in the society†¦Ã¢â‚¬  these sentiments points to the fact that we develop feelings that we believe concerns the next party. Shame as an emotion forces us to consider a lot more about t he feelings of others based on our actions. I believe that what is correct is correct and anything that is wrong is wrong .Standard should be set by ourselves to ensure that we live our potential rather than those individuals who might not necessarily share our views and thoughts. In his writing to reveal lack of self-trust, Emerson points the argument that â€Å"†¦accepts the scenario the divine facet has set for you, the current society, as well as the inter-connection of events†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This argument has a direct revelation of how the society confines people into conventional thinking. It restricts growth and makes no one to think differently even if the same methods make no improvement in the life of the individuals in that particular society. In the writings that reveal the role of the youths, Emerson brings to our attention to the suggestion that â€Å"†¦Do not be deceived that the youths do not have any effect in the society, because they cannot speak for the mselves. Hark! In the next room their voices are effectively clear and emphatic. It is evident that they can speak in the current society. Bashful or bold, there comes a time when they will make their seniors unnecessary in the society†¦Ã¢â‚¬  In the argument, it is evident that the youths have no say, perhaps because they are not allowed based on traditions and culture. Their potential is unearthed and they energy is not adequately exhausted. The society is not able to think and has set time bomb for not allowing the youths to think too, despite their ability to think. The argument indicates that the old age has refused to allow for the inevitable changes and this paralyses the society. Emerson reveals the comfort portrayed among the youthful members of the society. In the writings, he points that â€Å"†¦The nonchalance group of boys who are certain of dinner, and would contemn and behave like lords to reconcile one, is the healthy features of human nature†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He indicates that this raises irresponsible and troublesome members of the society. I believe Emerson is much interested in revealing what role is played by the individualistic character to ensure that the children grow to be both entrepreneurial and self-reliant. Putting them in a comfort zone does in no way allow them to understand the consequences of the actions that they make. A society that is not creative can as

Proposing the Puchase of a Mac Book Pro Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Proposing the Puchase of a Mac Book Pro - Essay Example Mac on the other hand is known to be pricey however the price would be right based from the claims of the reputable company. The Mac is said to have a long, productive life because its engineers and designers spend much time to make sure that every unit is made to perfection, considering every detail from the outside to the inside. To prove this, Apple does not only describe its productivity but also features its software that allows multiple tasks at the same time where speed in retrieving files is greatly considered. In addition, there are other functions the computer can do at a high quality performance like editing pictures, enhanced movie experience, playing musical instruments and many others (apple.com). Furthermore, the Mac claims a fully integrated system because the hardware and software are produced by the same company, making everything work perfectly for the best possible performance (apple.com). These features of the Mac make it the best brand for the organization to bu y, for the best exchange of the amount of money invested on such a machine therefore, the next step would be to look further to the models offered by the company. The Apple Pro Mac, Apple iMac and Mac Book Pro will be well considered for the best purchase to be proposed for the organization. The Apple Pro Mac has two 64 bit 2.66 Gigahertz (GHz) dual core intel Xeon processors which is a great advantage over the iMac because this ensures a fast speed for the functions performed in the computer. The Apple Mac on the other hand has a core 2 duo processor which has a speed of 2.4 GHz only thus, will be slower compared to the first computer. In addition, the two computers have a Random Access Memory (RAM) of 1 Gigabyte (GB) but the Apple Mac’s is expandable to 16GB therefore, the latter is able to save more data as opposed to the iMac. The Apple Mac is far better featuring two firewire 800 ports and two firewire 400 ports against iMac’s only one of each port, enabling acces s to more devices connected to the computer where the speed is still fast despite the various connections. There are also five Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports in the Apple Mac which also allow more devices to be inserted as compared to the three USB ports of the iMac. The two models have the same operating system (OS) considered one of the most advanced, the Leopard, containing core operating system components with improved functions in managing files. Apple Pro Mac has more advantages that have are not featured in iMac like a 250 Gigabytes hard drive which is essential in storing data and other important materials like songs, videos and pictures. There is also a 16x superdrive in the aforementioned model which is an additional storage drive that enables the computer to hold several information, allowing it to store data gathered in a longer period of time as compared to the iMac (Wetzel 2008). The Mac Book Pro on the other hand is a notebook which gives the advantage to the organi zation for easier transport of the machine in case there will be outside activities like concerts, camps or seminars. The

Major Favtors Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Major Favtors - Essay Example In that case, the accounting practices in China focus on both the fair presentation of financial position and a conservative presentation. The reason behind a fair presentation is to meet the various needs and requirements of the stakeholders and the capital market. The conservative approach is targeting the banking sector, which has a direct access to financial information (Central Intelligence Agency). (b): Legal system – the legal system in China is coded. Coded laws seek to, exhaustively, envelop the existing laws and preserve their implication to match that of the time it was coded. For this reason, the Chinese accounting practices are highly, rigid, prescriptive, detailed and procedural. This kind of legal system requires that the national law regulate the accounting practices. For that reason, China engages in the preparation of two sets of financial statement. That is, the rigid and the adaptive type, to comply with different types of legal systems (Central Intelligence Agency). (c): Taxation – the system is linked to reflect the legal system. In China, the national laws regulate the taxation practices. In this case, the accounting and the taxation process are the same (International Federation of Accountants). (d): Political and economic ties - the basis of accounting practices is influenced by the external forces due to international relations. China has strong political and economic ties with Japan, whose legal system is codified. The ties have greatly influenced China’s financial reporting regime (International Federation of Accountants). (e): Inflation – the changes in the rate of inflation affect the commodity prices in countries. The financial figures should reflect the level of inflation in a country. However, in countries with a low rate of inflation, like China, the reported accounting figures rarely reflect the rate of inflation (Central Intelligence Agency). (f): Level of economic development – the economic development in

Why did the Macmillan administration chose to opt for EC membership Essay

Why did the Macmillan administration chose to opt for EC membership - Essay Example The treaty worked to free the movement of goods, services, capital and labor between its member nations. In 1960, as a result and in an attempt to destroy or absorb the proposed EEC common market, the U.K. and Sweden created the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). EFTA was an attempt to conserve Britains role and economic position which was remotely attractive to major Western European states. In 1963, the Prime Minister of U.K., Harold Macmillan, decided to change Britain’s foreign policy towards the European Community and attempted to join EEC. He suggested to unite the member countries of EFTA with ECC to incorporate all of Europe but France vetoed further talks. Macmillan saw that the exclusion from EEC was damaging to Britain both economically and politically. The following sections will presents the reasons why Macmillan’s administration chose to opt for European Community membership. To maintain Britain’s world role in the face of economic enervation, Macmillan did not follow Anthony Eden’s policy of reliance on the United States. He evolved the British strategy to include a new relationship with Europe to complement the increasingly unreliable American proxy (Ruane & Ellison 2004:1). Eden’s administration saw that the maintenance of the British extended empire placed a burden on the countrys economy beyond its resources. They manipulated a foreign policy to ensure that the country’s strength was equal to its obligations. They aimed to persuade the U.S. to assume burdens of an international defence organization while retaining for Britain as much political control as possible. This was the only solution Eden came up with to spread the burden of two major obligations for which Britain currently bore primary responsibility. In January 1957, the Suez Canal crisis brought down Prime Minister Eden and caused his resignation to be succeeded by Harold

The Objectives Of Clinical Management Systems Information Technology Essay

The Objectives Of Clinical Management Systems Information Technology Essay CMS stands for Clinical Management System, including the information integration, inventory control, data processing and tools for medical data exchange. Generally the major user for CMS are physicians, and consist of laboratory information system (LIS), radiology information system (RIS), picture archiving and communication system (PACS). 1In medical fields, the application of new CMS mainly develops in the following stages. Automated medical record (AMR) is mainly used for the automation in medical data processing from paper into e-format. Electronic medical record (EMR) ensures a good communication for paperless and image exchange and sets up foundation of medical terminology. Electronic patient record (EPR) ensures the interoperability networking for the data exchange between CMS or other parties by using a single and standard format. Electronic health record (eHR) sustains the medical decision support system. In the medical support system, it conducts data mining skills from getting multiple data from multiple databases to assure the correct medical decision. Recap above stages, the applications of CMS are useful in medical filed. Objectives Due to the following objectives, our team suggests Town Health co Ltd to implement Clinic Management System (CMS). Increasing business opportunity; Connecting medical record with Hong Kong Government regulation standard; Exchanging medical data with Hong Kong Government centralize database. Company Background Town Health Co Ltd. (The Group) Established in 1985, the group has adopted the managed healthcare model to provide high quality and affordable medical services to our corporate clients. THMN has a full range of medical services, including General and Specialists Services, Dental Services, Physiotherapy Services, Laboratories Imaging Services and other auxiliary medical services. The Group has well developed and became one of the largest healthcare services providers, with about 30 medical clinics and specialist outpatient clinics, in Hong Kong. Company network Figure 1.1 http://www.thmn.com.hk/our_locations.asp Company Workflow The Group was operating a standalone medical management system over 10 years. Many problems occur throughout their daily operation. The basic operation workflow is shown as below figures 1.1. Diagnosis New Patient Registration Consultation Medical Record Transfer to Hospital/Other films Treatment Figures 1.1 For our daily operation, a new patient is required to fill in a registration form for his / her personal information in paper format. Then the duty doctor consults and examines the patient based on the background and situation at that moment. The paper medical record and real time observation by the duty doctor will be used as tools to support the diagnosis of the patient. Finally, the staff or nurses will input the finalize treatment formulated and medical record into the existing medical system. Five Force Analysis For The Group Suppliers Industry Competitions Buyer Potential Entrants Substitutes Threat of New Entrants There are many new entrants in Hong Kong healthcare services industry. It is because of the rapid changing of economical scale, such as new investments from PRC. Threat substitutes Since the market demand is changing recently, many different professionals are willing to join together and run their business to provide a 24*7 (24 hours with 7days) services. Besides, they combine their services into a single business firm, such as Chinese medical services, Dental and out patient services. Therefore they can share resources to reduce the operating cost and increase the revenue. Bargaining power of Suppliers Most of suppliers ally their product price due to the increasing price of most original materials. For a healthcare group, they are required for lots of inventory, like drugs and medicate equipment. This is a main reason for their high operating cost. Bargaining power of Buyers The Government regulation was release as benefit to all Hong Kong elders such as health care voucher, eHealth medical record sharing system, and etc. Industry Competitors There are many strong competitors with increasing and steady revenue. Moreover, most professionals quit their job in public sector (Government Hospital) and join the joint venture of healthcare group to start their own business. SWOT Analysis for The Group Strength The group is established for over 25 years, it is a well-known health care services provider with confidence in providing quality services. A wide spread of clinic coverage is convenience to all patients in Hong Kong. The medical management system assists on keeping patients records that ensures the efficiency on daily data processing. Weakness Performance of existing medical management system becomes slower due to the increasing size of data. Increasing numbers of patient records reduce the performance of accuracy. Thus, many errors were found in daily operation which influences the efficiency. The system will become a bottleneck of the Group for the business expansion. Opportunity Modernize on computer system provided a better management on patients data and prevent error to increase efficiency on operation. Also, connectivity to Hospital Authority (HA) and insurance companies database can get advantages on increasing revenue and convenience of data exchange for the Group. Treats The medical industry competition had a huge impact to the Group due to the decreasing market share and revenue while the running cost for equipment and drugs is increasing. Research Methodology Research method Interview for analyzing the current problems The aim of the interview is gathering information about the understanding for the current system and its process. Our team conducted the interview to narrow down the problems one by one. Web survey for capture the industry strategy Due to the rapid change for the market, this survey is aimed to get the most common strategy for our team. Data Gathering This process is mainly used for identify the existing operation problems through the interview with the company partners, managements and customers. Peoples interviewed: Partners Project mangers Customers The questions for Partners What is your corporate vision and mission? What is your corporate development target in long term / short-term? What is your development strategy in long terms / short terms? Do you agree the change of Hong Kong market decreasing revenue of your company? How many resources had been spent on your strategy development projects? What is / are the existing problem(s) that your company is facing now? And how does your company fix it? The questions for Project Managers How do you carry out the CMS? How long do you planned for your project schedule? How the CMS fulfill the development of your company that you had mentioned before? How many resources had been spent on your strategy development projects? The questions for Customers What service(s) do you mainly used in Town Health Corp? Do you comfortable with the current system of Town Health Corp? 3 Do you have any suggestion(s) for Town Health Corp? Through the interviews, our team recognizes the mission of health care group is providing a comprehensive healthcare service. The short term planning is to develop an effective clinical management system, while the long term objective is to build up an exhaustive service for customers, such as medical decision support analysis. To achieve the short term and long term objectives mentioned above, we have to improve: The duties schedule of physician Communication channels with other insurance companies The inventory control and allocation Standardization of e-health medical record Survey result All interviewee thought that the eHealth is useful as it answered them many questions and as a platform to communicate with others. Whats more, over 80% clients having discussion with professional after a year, which is dangerous if they didnt take annual body check. Almost 80% clients thought the Clinical management system should be connected into Hong Kong centralize database. Due to the elderly dont know how to use the high technology (e.g. computers), thus the respondents refuse to use it. There are only 20% of interviewees think that the Clinical management system cant be effectively the diagnosis processing. Almost 80% of respondents has been used the clinical management system, especially most of them used the Google one. The respondents all are educated above the primary school and most of them are in the age group of 30-39. Values Identified from Interview Objective Schedule Management Insurance interface Inventory control e-medical Record The duties schedule of physician Communication channels with other insurance companies The inventory control and allocation Standardization of e-health medical record Problem Definitions The Group was operating a standalone medical management system over than 10 years. However, there are still many problems occur during daily operation. Data formatting out of date The existing medical system was developed in 1989. All clinic offices were allocated a standalone workstation for operating medical system. The medical system database was developed by FoxPro which could not conduct data mapping with other new technology like Microsoft SQL server, MySQL server. Hence each medical system was all recorded year by year until present. Suffering in medical claim to insurance company Every time when different insurance companies transfer some patients data for inquiry, the staff needs to input the patient data one by one manually in order to get the corresponding data from the database. After all required data have been extracted from the database, the staff needs to enter the corresponding data to different systems that provided by insurance companies. Sometime if the data from insurance companies could not match with the database, the staff needs to notify the insurance company for amendment. After receiving the update data, the staff needs to do the inquiry all over again. Cannot manage resources on inventory Existing medical management system can only handle patients records. Inventory of the Group is recorded by using a logbook. Using of pen and paper cannot fulfill the services standard nowadays. That is not a flexible and efficiency way to keep track and monitor inventory, especially for a medical group which owned over thirty clinics. Manpower that used on inventory is also become a challenge on management and costs. Cannot manage customers appointment effectively Many clinics handle their patient appointments by using telephone bookings and marked on the notebook. However, it always has the contrived mistake, for example, marked down the wrong name or contact number. Sometimes the patients need to wait for a long time to check the appointment time or the medicine stuffs. Furthermore, the doctor may not stay in one single clinic; it is inconvenience for the customers who want to consult the same doctor. Based on problems above, managements decide to carry out a new Clinical Management System (CMS) to replace the existing one. Our learning area: Electric Medical Record, Interfaces with Insurance Company, Inventory Control and Book appointment with web interfaces. Successful Stories 2The Hospital Authority (HA) of Hong Kong 3The Hospital Authority (HA) is one of the successful case of implement CMS in Hong Kong. HA set up 15 Chinese medicine outpatient clinics (CM Centres). These 15 CM Centres are served with a fully computerized Chinese Medicine Information System (CMIS). CMIS is developed by HA for managing a large amount of clinical information. The CMIS is aimed to the support for patient administration (example, appointment, registration and payment), clinical modules (example, diagnosis, consultation notes and prescription) and pharmacy management. It can also treat as a platform for data analysis, planning and researches. The Integrative Medicine Information and Research Manager of HA, Tat Tse said, the system can reduce errors and enhance risk management, for example, the emergence of drug incidents, we can trace the patient and arrange examination as soon as possible. 4Union Hospital in Hong Kong Another successful case for CMS implement is Union Hospital and Union Hospital Polyclinic. Union Hospital was established in the year 1994 while Union Hospital Polyclinic (Tsuen Wan) went into service in January 2007. Hospital and polyclinic have an advanced Customer Management System to provide comprehensive patient data and flexible registration service. It is convenience for the clinic and the hospital to access the patient information and medicine history. It is also expediency for the patient to choose the venue for having the follow-up care thought out the network of Union Hospital. Proposed Solutions With the reference to the above successful cases in Hong Kong, the main purpose for the CMS is easy to deliver medical data. It is a centralized system to control and share the resources, like medical information, to related departments, like Pharmacy, Laboratory and front-end clinics department. Besides, CMS can be synchronized all the medical data to both public and private hospitals and other CMS. A brand new CMS become an important milestone in the IS strategy development. Inventory control To improve the inventory control, the implement of inventory control system is required. It can increase the flexibility and efficiency. The new system will include inventory monitoring, stock transfer, out of stock alert and reporting, and other function like expiry date reminder and search. These functions are the daily tasks which are operating manually every day. The implement of new system can help to reallocate manpower to other tasks. Schedule management The system will renew the data periodically. Old records of patients will be found easily. Clinic staff can handle the patients records and the appointments by using an easier way. Insurance interfaces The system can get requests from different insurance companies and reply those insurance companies automatically. A summary report will generate for checking every day. This can save the manpower of processing insurance companies request and prevent missing or wrong information exchange. E-medical standard Since all the new medical data should be matched with international standard, developers change all the new medical data into  [5]  HL7 format. HL7, an international standard medical system, can exchange data with other systems, which will be the main trend for future development. This action may cost lots of resources in transferring to the new CMS, it is still certainly required for the long term strategy of health care industry. Physical Architecture This section describes the physical architecture of the System. The below diagram shows the physical architecture of the System. The CMS is constructed in 3-tiers web based architecture, which includes web server, application server and database server. Web Server The Web Server will be the primary entry point for all users to access the system. All user activity will be limited within the Web Server. Application Server The Application Server will serve the validation process and the using of the stored data in the Database Server. Users will access these functions through the user interface located at the Web Server. Database Server The Database Server will be the central repository of all data. These data will be using for validation purpose. Software requirements Internet Explorer 5.5 above Java web starter 6.0 above MySQL 10.0.1 above Tomcat web server 6.0 above Hardware requirements IBM X3250 M2, Xeon E3110 3.0GHz/ 1333MHz (DC 65w 6MB L2 cache), 8GB 667MHz SDRAM, 160GB Hot-Swap SATA HDD Tape Drive [Prod Servers] IBM Tape Backup Drive Juniper Netscreen-5GT CableCat5 and Cat6 KVM 1U 15 LCD Monitor w/ 8-port PS/s Solution Budget The solution estimated project costs are shown as below: Items Estimated Costs (HK$) 1. Project team staff/development costs# 500,000 2. Project office set up and running costs including rent, telecom costs, mail/courier, etc. 100,000 3. IT costs including PC, software, printer, fax, LAN set up, etc. 100,000 Grand Total 700,000 Workflow of new CMS E-Medical record standard formats (Health level 7) apply in CMS First of all the medical record (HL7) run across multiple module of CMS, the example shown the workflow of e-medical Record useful in multiple modules of CMS. HL7 is mainly use for data exchange in different multiple module. Such as a single medical record it can be data exchange to doctors in clinical departments then transfer information to other lab departments then the lab result can be generate the medical decision support lab test. Finally the doctor can be made the medical decision and prepared the consultation result. The medical can be claim to insurance company directly for patients. Workflow of appointment in CMS The client calls to book the time with the right doctor. The clinical nurses mark down the information of the client and find out the clinic data from the database. The nurse call to remind the client and confirm the booking. When the client comes, then the appointment is done. Phone in to clinic Mark down the client information Call back and remind the clients Appointment done! Workflow of inventory system 1. Medicine, equipment or office supplies delivered to warehouse, information and amount of each product will be updated into the inventory system 2. Staff in clinics will place order for different items in the inventory system, delivery will be arranged. For some critical items like life-saving medicines, order will be automatically placed once the amount dropped to preset minimum quantity 3. Items delivered to each clinic from warehouse Workflow of Medical Claim Enquiry From Insurance Company Insurance company send medical claim request to CMS, CMS will retrieve data automatically from database and return diagnosis result back to that insurance company. Implementation Schedule The following is the paramilitary schedule of the proposed plan: Date Major Milestone Month 1 Launch of the CMS Project Proposal evaluation Month 2-4 Project Initiation User Requirement Collection Mouth 5-6 System Design and Analysis Procurement and Installation of Hardware and Software Interface with external systems Mouth 7-8 Program Development Mouth 9-11 User Acceptance Test Documentation Training Mouth 9-11 User Feedback Collection User Feedback Analysis System Design Revision Mouth 9-12 Program Modification User Acceptance Test Documentation Training Phase 2 Live Run Conclusion Durng the study topcis,all of us exploer our eye on Hong Kong Helthcare business operations.Due to the market change from previous, Hong Kong became stanadardation with international.The government of HKSAR become the leader role on electric health care stanard and regulations. Hence the team regonzine the implementation of cinical management system just the begin electric health care stages. All the industry stakeholders become more international standardization in future! Project Self-evaluation The study of CMS and its functions team completed the target because we can learn Healthcare knowledge during the project. The project management works are fine and the team conducts many discussion points during preparation. Finally I inspirit our teamwork steps until project closure. Tommy Wong @ Middlesex University 2011 During this project, I got the chance to explore and learn about the medical industry, and the relationship between information technology and medical and how they benefit each other. In my own findings using information technology in medical industry especially the outpatient services, is still in a preliminary stage, which mean more I.T. elements can be used to enhance the perform, more efficiency and profit can be archived. Simon Wong @ Middlesex University 2011 During this project, our division of labor is very balance. Everyone tried the best and put many efforts on it. I in charged the parts of findings, included the survey result, interview result and others. However,  some difficulties  encountered in  investigations, for example,  many respondents were  not sure  what  is eHealth, or  send the mail to people have not reply. I think our team spirit is good. But I should do the project more actively. Whats more, after my self-evaluation, I think my work is fair effective and efficient, due to the fair English grammar, I might need the others group mates help to proofread. At the same time, I think my time management can be better, because of my delay, the schedule of work might postpone. I hope I will do it better next time. Eric Pang @ Middlesex University 2011 Medical topic is a totally new topic to me, but to deal with different industries and departments is one of characteristic for Information Technology. Though this project, my skill for handling an unfamiliar topic is improved, which is equipped me to be an Information Technology professional. In this group project, I responsible for research on medical field business model. I found that even in a field of professionalism, the competition between companies still very great. Therefor price war is not a best way for them to increase the revenue. Before this project, I truly believed that price war is always a way to help companies to develop their business, but now I understand that with the information system support and re-engine the process flow, the company still can increase their productivity and achieve the target of increasing revenue. After this project, doing the analysis on the company background and market background become more and more import to me when designing solutions. This is the first time for me to handle an unfamiliar topic, medical health care industry. I had spent a lot of time to search information and catch up the schedule of my teammates. By having thIs experience, I am sure that I can do better for next time. Ben Wong @ Middlesex University 2011 Appendix 1 Interview Questions with Answer Dr Joseph Lee, Partner of Corporate Development Town health Co Ltd 1 Feb 2011 Dear Dr Lee, We are a group of year 3 undergraduate students of Middlesex University, School of Engineering and Information Sciences. As part of our final year studies, we have been asked to contact and interview a strategic manager on a topic related to the use of Information Technology and Information Systems within the organization. The focus of our approach is to look at the strategic reasons why a particular configuration of IT/IS functionality was adopted assuming that competitive advantage was the prime focus of the implementers. The topic we have selected is Clinical Management System implementation for the chain health care group. We approach you because we believe that our topic represents an important strategic use of IT/IS within your organization. We are requesting a short interview with an appropriate strategic manager within your organization. We should only take a short amount of time at your convenience. However, we do have a deadline of early December for this part of our work. If you are available to help, please reply me by email to [emailprotected] Thank you for your consideration of our request. Yours truly, Tommy Wong Attn: Dr Joseph Lee, Partner of Corporate development, Town Health Co. Interview Questions 1. What is your corporate vision and mission? Our group mission is grouping up all the clinic services to provide a comprehensive healthcare place to the public. 2. What is your corporate development target in long term / short-term? Long -term: Our corporate development target will be emphasized on the elderly mansion. We can provide the periodically body check as elderly easy to have the elderly ill. We would like cooperating with them by contractual in the future 5 years. Whats more, they will enjoy the discount by joining our group elderly program. We hoped that we can have over 30 elderly mansion join us. Short -term: Another our consideration is the doctors who wanted save the rent. They can use the place that share with other doctors, thus they still have their own clinic room but share the rent and human resources. It is because we want to keep increasing our shops (about 10 /year) in different area in HK to enhance our brand image. 3. What is your development strategy in long terms/ short terms? Increase the shops of Town Health is the one of the promotion plan. It increases the brand warranty and customer trusting. When the demand increases, the supply should be increased too. In long term, Town Health has to use personal selling to explain the services to the elderly mansion. Therefore we will recruit more sales to demonstrate our job to the elderly to increase our professional image and increase the corporate opportunities. 4. Do you agree the change of Hong Kong market decreasing revenue of your company? No. It was totally opposite with your question. As the citizens in HK becomes older and older, their requirement of the elderly instruments and healthcare in growth rapidly. In fact the target market in our industry is growing, the revenue of our company is in an enhancement. 5. How many resources had been spent on your strategy development projects? A lot! Human resources and Material resources which includes the instruments, medicines, equipments. I think it will over 100 millions. 6. What is / are your existing problem(s) that your company is facing now? And how does your company fix it? We have to find the Corp target carefully as many of them are not the legal one, whatever the mansion or doctor. We want to enlarge our clinic healthcare by a good quality. We would like asking the existing customers opinions and their past experience. Sometimes we need to find the good doctors by the positive word-of mouth. Thanks for your time and attention. Mr Jackson Tam, Project Manager Town health Co Ltd 1 Feb 2011 Dear Jackson, We are a group of year 3 undergraduate students of Middlesex University, School of Engineering and Information Sciences. As part of our final year studies, we have been asked to contact and interview a strategic manager on a topic related to the use of Information Technology and Information Systems within the organization. The focus of our approach is to look at the strategic reasons why a particular configuration of IT/IS functionality was adopted assuming that competitive advantage was the prime focus of the implementers. The topic we have selected is Clinical Management System implementation for the chain health care group. We approach you because we believe that our topic represents an important strategic use of IT/IS within your organization. We are requesting a short interview with an appropriate strategic manager within your organization. We should only take a short amount of time at your convenience. However, we do have a deadline of early December for this part of our work. If you are available to help, please reply me by email to [emailprotected] Thank you for your consideration of our request. Yours truly, Tommy Wong Attn: Jackson Tam, Project Manager, town health Corp. 1. How do you carry out the CMS? I would set up a project team. Most of the members come from functional team. I also recruit external consultant to be the project adviser. 2. How long do you planned for your project schedule? 2 years 3. How the CMS fulfill the development of your company that you had mentioned before? The functions of CMS commit, electronic medical format as connecting with international standard, the platform connecting with insurance company modules and also control inventory and physicians schedule management. 4.How many resources had been spent on your strategy development projects? Over 2 Millions. All are spent on in-house team development works. Thanks for your time and attention. Ms Eva Ma, Deputy Business Development officer. AIA HK Co Ltd 1 Feb 2011 Dear Eva, We are a group of year 3 undergraduate students of Middlesex University, School of Engineering and Information Sciences. As part of our final year studies, we have been asked to contact and interview a strategic manager on a topic related to the use of Information Technology and Information Systems within the organization. The focus of our approach is to look at the strategic reasons why a particular configuration of IT/IS functionality was adopted assuming that competitive advantage was the prime focus of the implementers. The topic we have selected is Clinical Management System implementation for the chain health care group. We approach you because we believe that our topic represents an important strategic use of IT/IS within your organization. We are requesting a short interview with an appropriate strategic manager within your organization. We should only take a short amount of time at your convenience. However, we do have a deadline of early December for this part of our work. If you are available to help, please reply me by email to [emailprotected] Thank you for your